1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to anatomical compression devices and, more particularly, to a compression device adapted to encircle and apply a compressive force to a body part to thereby immobilize it and/or control blood flow.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the emergency treatment of traumatic injuries to human extremities, there has been a long felt need for a device which can be quickly and easily applied, preferably by the injured person himself, to stabilize the fractured limb and/or to control bleeding.
With the current increased interest and participation in outdoor activities such as hiking, camping, mountain climbing and skiing, an increased number of persons engage in strenuous physical activity, under hazardous or semi-hazardous conditions, often in remote areas and often alone. In such activities it is not uncommon for a participant to sustain severe injuries to a limb. In the case of broken bones it is important to stabilize the limb, provide uniform support, and prevent movement until definitive medical attention can be obtained. Failure to do so often results in aggravating the injury. In extreme cases the broken ends of the bones may even puncture the skin causing the fracture to become compound. The conventional first air procedures require that a splint be obtained or fabricated from materials at hand and that the limb be immobilized by binding it to the splint. This procedure is often difficult to accomplish in remote areas due to the lack of suitable materials. Even if suitable materials are at hand, it is often impossible for an injured person, who is alone, to apply a splint due to the traumatic effects of his injury.
In the case of massive bleeding resulting from a cut or a laceration on a limb, the conventional first aid procedures require that the bleeding be controlled by application of direct pressure on the wound or, if the bleeding cannot be controlled by direct pressure, a tourniquet is applied to control the flow of blood to the limb. Both of these procedures have serious practical limitations. The self-application of a tourniquet is often difficult for an injured person to accomplish due to lack of suitable materials for construction of the tourniquet and the awkwardness and incapacity which results from the trauma of the injury. The application of direct pressure on the wound is usually difficult and sometimes impossible for an injured person to accomplish due to such factors as the awkward location of the wound or the inability to exert sufficient pressure to control the bleeding.
Splinting devices exist which are easier to apply than conventional plaster casts. Some of these are flexible envelopes which are wrapped around the injured limb and are pressurized by an external source, such as a refrigerant supply, an air pump, or even lung power. External pressure sources, however, are usually heavy and cumbersome. In the case of a lone injured individual, it may not be possible for his mouth to reach the inflation mechanism because of the location of the injury, or the trauma of the injury may render him too weak to inflate the device. Often splinting devices comprise a sleeve containing reactive components which, when mixed, form a hardenable mass. In use, the sleeve is manipulated to break the component-containing capsules and mix them so that the chemical reaction can begin. The sleeve is then drawn onto the injured limb, but the limb must be immobilized by some other means until the splint hardens, usually in 5 to 30 minutes. In emergency situations this delay may be intolerable.